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== Gameplay ==
== Gameplay ==
''Ape Out'' is a [[single player video game|single player]] [[beat 'em up]] [[video game]] played from a [[top-down perspective]].<ref name="Shacknews">{{cite web |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/110222/ape-out-now-available-on-switch-and-pc |title=Ape Out now available on Switch and PC |first=Kevin |last=Tucker |date=February 28, 2019 |website=[[Shacknews]]}}</ref><ref name="IGN rev">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/02/28/ape-out-review |title=Ape Out Review |first=Luke |last=Reilly |date=February 28, 2019 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> The player controls a [[gorilla]] running through a [[maze]] while evading the ape's enemies in the form of gun wielding humans. The human enemies are easily killed with a single attack and can also be grabbed and used a [[human shield|shield]], however as they are armed with guns they can quickly kill the player as well. The principal aim of the game is to escape each level and killing enemies is not technically required in order to proceed.<ref name="The Washington Post">{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/03/14/ape-out-is-wild-percussion-driven-romp/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.db292404373a |title=‘Ape Out’ is a wild, percussion-driven romp |first=Christopher |last=Byrd |date=March 14, 2019 |website=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
''Ape Out'' is a [[single player video game|single player]] [[beat 'em up]] [[video game]] played from a [[top-down perspective]].<ref name="Shacknews">{{cite web |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/110222/ape-out-now-available-on-switch-and-pc |title=Ape Out now available on Switch and PC |first=Kevin |last=Tucker |date=February 28, 2019 |website=[[Shacknews]]}}</ref><ref name="IGN rev">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/02/28/ape-out-review |title=Ape Out Review |first=Luke |last=Reilly |date=February 28, 2019 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> The player controls a [[gorilla]] running through a [[maze]] while evading enemies in the form of gun wielding humans. The human enemies are easily killed with a single attack and can also be grabbed and used a [[human shield|shield]], however as they are armed with guns they can quickly kill the player as well. The principal aim of the game is to escape each level and killing enemies is not technically required in order to proceed.<ref name="The Washington Post">{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/03/14/ape-out-is-wild-percussion-driven-romp/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.db292404373a |title=‘Ape Out’ is a wild, percussion-driven romp |first=Christopher |last=Byrd |date=March 14, 2019 |website=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>


The maze design is randomized and is slightly different each time you play, making it impossible to memorize the layout of a level.<ref name="Kotaku">{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/ape-out-is-a-violent-musical-game-about-rampaging-prim-1833000694 |title=Ape Out Is A Violent, Musical Game About Rampaging Primates |first=Nathan |last=Grayson |date=March 1, 2019 |website=[[Kotaku]]}}</ref>
The maze design is randomized and is slightly different each time you play, making it impossible to memorize the layout of a level.<ref name="Kotaku">{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/ape-out-is-a-violent-musical-game-about-rampaging-prim-1833000694 |title=Ape Out Is A Violent, Musical Game About Rampaging Primates |first=Nathan |last=Grayson |date=March 1, 2019 |website=[[Kotaku]]}}</ref>


One of the game's main themes is [[jazz music]] and each of the game's four chapters are represented as jazz albums with each level representing one track.<ref name="The Verge">{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/8/18255975/ape-out-game-pc-nintendo-switch |title=Ape Out turns raging monkeys into improvisational jazz |first=Andrew |last=Webster |date=March 8, 2019 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref> The gameplay features a loud and chaotic, all-[[percussion]] jazz soundtrack composed by Matt Boch which reacts dynamically to the gameplay, for example increasing in intensity as you face more enemies, crashing [[cymbals]] each time an enemy is killed and adjusting the volume according to your speed and number of kills.<ref name="Variety">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2019/gaming/columns/how-ape-out-creates-a-soundscape-worthy-of-smashing-1203150773/ |title=How ‘Ape Out’ Creates a Soundscape Worthy of Smashing |first=Stephen T|last=Wright |date=February 27, 2019 |website=[[Variety]]}}</ref>
One of the game's main themes is [[jazz music]] and each of the game's four chapters are represented as jazz albums with each level representing one track.<ref name="The Verge">{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/8/18255975/ape-out-game-pc-nintendo-switch |title=Ape Out turns raging monkeys into improvisational jazz |first=Andrew |last=Webster |date=March 8, 2019 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref> The gameplay features a loud and chaotic, all-[[percussion]] jazz soundtrack composed by Matt Boch which reacts dynamically to the gameplay, for example increasing in intensity as you face more enemies, crashing [[cymbals]] each time an enemy is killed and adjusting the volume according to your speed and number of kills.<ref name="Variety">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2019/gaming/columns/how-ape-out-creates-a-soundscape-worthy-of-smashing-1203150773/ |title=How ‘Ape Out’ Creates a Soundscape Worthy of Smashing |first=Stephen T|last=Wright |date=February 27, 2019 |website=[[Variety]]}}</ref>

The game also features a minimalist art style which has been compared to that of [[Saul Bass]].<ref name="Polygon">{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2019/3/1/18246035/ape-out-review-switch-pc |title=Ape Out is the Saul Bass-inspired power fantasy I didn’t know I wanted |first=Jeremy |last=Winslow |date=March 1, 2019 |website=[[Polygon]]}}</ref><ref name="The Verge"/><ref name="Gamesradar">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/ape-out-asks-what-happens-when-hotline-miami-meets-thelonious-monk-and-discovers-an-early-game-of-the-year-contender/ |title=Ape Out asks what happens when Hotline Miami meets Thelonious Monk, and discovers an early game of the year contender |first=Alex |last=Avard |date=February 28, 2019 |website=[[Gamesradar]]}}</ref>


== Development ==
== Development ==

Revision as of 13:19, 24 June 2019

Ape Out
At the top, the orange shade of a gorilla on a light green background and behind dark green horizontal bars. At the bottom the words "Ape" and "Out" in yellow, aligned vertically.
Ape Out's covert art, showing the game's player character
Developer(s)Gabe Cuzzillo
Publisher(s)Devolver Digital
Designer(s)Gabe Cuzzillo
Programmer(s)Gabe Cuzzillo
Artist(s)
Composer(s)Matt Boch
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
ReleaseFebruary 28, 2019
Genre(s)Beat 'em up
Mode(s)Single-player

Ape Out is a beat 'em up game developed by Gabe Cuzzillo and published by Devolver Digital. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch on February 28, 2019.

Gameplay

Ape Out is a single player beat 'em up video game played from a top-down perspective.[1][2] The player controls a gorilla running through a maze while evading enemies in the form of gun wielding humans. The human enemies are easily killed with a single attack and can also be grabbed and used a shield, however as they are armed with guns they can quickly kill the player as well. The principal aim of the game is to escape each level and killing enemies is not technically required in order to proceed.[3]

The maze design is randomized and is slightly different each time you play, making it impossible to memorize the layout of a level.[4]

One of the game's main themes is jazz music and each of the game's four chapters are represented as jazz albums with each level representing one track.[5] The gameplay features a loud and chaotic, all-percussion jazz soundtrack composed by Matt Boch which reacts dynamically to the gameplay, for example increasing in intensity as you face more enemies, crashing cymbals each time an enemy is killed and adjusting the volume according to your speed and number of kills.[6]

The game also features a minimalist art style which has been compared to that of Saul Bass.[7][5][8]

Development

Ape Out was developed by Gabe Cuzzillo using the Unity game engine.[9] Ape Out was Cuzzillo's second game, after Foiled, which he developed with Aaron Taecker-Wyss and released in 2014.[9][10] Development on Ape Out began when Cuzzillo entered into game development courses at New York University (NYU), where he also worked on an independent study with Bennett Foddy.[9] Foddy contributed to Ape Out's art, while Matt Boch, an associate professor for NYU's Game Center, worked on the game's music system and sound design.[11] Ape Out was part of the NYU Game Center Incubator and partially financed by Indie Fund.[9][12] In 2016, Ape Out was a finalist for the Independent Games Festival's "Best Student Game" award, losing it to Beglitched.[13]

Publisher Devolver Digital announced their involvement in Ape Out in March 2017, when they released a playable trailer for the game and announced a projected release date of "summer 2017".[14] The publisher announced in December 2017 that Ape Out would be released on February 7, 2019, for Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch.[15] However, the game was delayed by three weeks and was released for both platforms on February 28, 2019.[1]

Reception

Ape Out received "generally favorable" reviews on both platforms, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[16][17]

References

  1. ^ a b Tucker, Kevin (February 28, 2019). "Ape Out now available on Switch and PC". Shacknews.
  2. ^ a b Reilly, Luke (February 28, 2019). "Ape Out Review". IGN.
  3. ^ Byrd, Christopher (March 14, 2019). "'Ape Out' is a wild, percussion-driven romp". The Washington Post.
  4. ^ Grayson, Nathan (March 1, 2019). "Ape Out Is A Violent, Musical Game About Rampaging Primates". Kotaku.
  5. ^ a b Webster, Andrew (March 8, 2019). "Ape Out turns raging monkeys into improvisational jazz". The Verge.
  6. ^ Wright, Stephen T (February 27, 2019). "How 'Ape Out' Creates a Soundscape Worthy of Smashing". Variety.
  7. ^ Winslow, Jeremy (March 1, 2019). "Ape Out is the Saul Bass-inspired power fantasy I didn't know I wanted". Polygon.
  8. ^ Avard, Alex (February 28, 2019). "Ape Out asks what happens when Hotline Miami meets Thelonious Monk, and discovers an early game of the year contender". Gamesradar.
  9. ^ a b c d Baker, Chris (February 1, 2016). "Road to the Student IGF: Gabe Cuzzillo's Ape Out". Gamasutra.
  10. ^ Polson, John (March 5, 2014). "Road to the Student IGF: Gabe Cuzzillo on Foiled". Gamasutra.
  11. ^ "Here are your juries for the IGF 2019 Nuovo, Visual Art, and Audio awards!". Independent Games Festival. November 19, 2016.
  12. ^ "Ape Out!". Indie Fund. March 9, 2017.
  13. ^ Smith, Adam (March 17, 2016). "Her Story Wins Big At IGF Awards". Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
  14. ^ O'Connor, Alice (March 9, 2017). "Ape Out demo samples Devolver's primate rampage". Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
  15. ^ Lemne, Bengt (December 6, 2018). "Ape Out finally escapes on February 7". Gamereactor.
  16. ^ a b "Ape Out for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Ape Out for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  18. ^ Gwaltney, Javy (February 28, 2019). "Ape Out Review – A New Kind Of Ape Escape". Game Informer.
  19. ^ O'Connor, James (February 28, 2019). "Ape Out Review – Monkey Business". GameSpot.
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